Temperature-released latch for doors and the like.



E. F. SGHNUGK.

TEMPERATURE RELEASED LATCH FOR DOORS AND THE LIKE.

APRLIGATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1912.

1,085,705. I Patented Feb.3,191L

ATTORN EY$ WITiESWI BY mgmog I I UNITED STATES PATENT oFmoE.

EDWARD F. SCHNUCK, 0F GREENBURG, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO JABEZ BURNS & SONS,'A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

Application filed September 20, 1912. Serial No. 721,413.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD F. SCHNUCK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Greenburg, in the county of Westchester'and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTemperature-Released Latches for Doors and the like, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to latches for doors, skylights, switches, andother devices, wherein upon the attainment of a predeterminedtemperature the device being retained will be released, and thereby theoperation of a door, skylight, switch, or other device, be effected.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide chains having fusible linksfor releasing a door, skylight, switch, or the like, upon the attainmentof a predetermined temperature to permit it to open or close as the casemay be, but'in many situations it is impracticable or inconvenient touse a chain, or the operation of such adevice 'ture.

has been uncertain and unreliable or obstructs the opening.

The object of the-present invention is to provide a latch or keeperwhich will contain a fusible element which will melt upon the attainmentof a predetermined temperature and thereby release the door, skylight,switch, or other device, which is to be controlled.

The characteristic feature of the latch of this invention is that thefusible portion, as in the case of a hatchway, door or skylight, willproject into the region where the increasein temperature will be mostmarked, without being shielded by the door so that the fusibleconnection will thereby be more certain and reliable in action andpromptly release the device to be controlled.

As herein specifically shown, the invention is shown in combination witha hatch- 1 way or bin door which is normally biased to close, as bya-spring, and which can be manually controlled to open and close thedoor and also automatically released upon the attainment of apredetermined tempera- The device is so constructed that the holdingportion or keeper is mechanically connected with the main body portionof the 'latch so that ordinary operation does not affect the fusibleconnection, yet permitting the fusible connection when melted to offerno obstruction to separation of the latch and thereby affect theoperation of the controlled part.

While specifically shown in connection with a door, the invention iscapable of use in many other relations such as for controlling switches,alarms,sprinklers, etc., whenever it is desired to cause a predeterminedtemperature to release the controlled device.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation partly in sectionof an opening, such as a bin or hatchway, provided with the invention;Fig. 2 is a detail view of the latch; Fig. 3 is an end elevation; andFig. 4 is a detail section on the line 4-41 of Fig. 3 showing the mannerof attaching the holding portion or keeper to the body,

portion of the latch.

1 represents the opening-to be protected, such as the top of a storagebin in a warehouse, the contents of which are subject to spontaneouscombustion, and 2 represents a door which is fitted to close theopening 1. The door is hinged at 3 preferably by a spring hinge whichnormally tends to, shut the door.

5 represents the latch which is pivoted at 6 to a suitable support as 7,the latch having a holding portion or keeper 8 which projects below thelower surface 9 of the latch, and engaging the edge 10 of the door asshown in Fig. 1. The support 7 is provided with a slottedsurface 11forming a stop to limit the fall of the latch, the end 12 of the latchbeing extended to engage the slot 11 to limit the upper movement, sothat the latch will not be thrown over out of operative position in casethe door is suddenly swung back. The latch is thus held by these stopsin position to ride over and drop down to hold the edge of the door andalso to prevent it flying upwardly and out of operative position. Thefront end of the holding "portion or keeper 8 is curved or beveled asedge 13 of the latch. At the same time the.

keeper 8 is steadiedagainst lateral move mentby reason of thisinterlocking connection with the body portion. The bottom edge 16 of thetongue is in a line forming a continuation of the lower edge 9 of thekeeper,-and the latter is fusibly connected to the body. This ispreferably done by the dove tailed fusible connecting piece '17, whichwhen melted leaves no projection tending to hold the door fromoperating. The dove tailedconnecting piece 17 formed of a compositionmetal which is fusible at a predetermined temperature, such compositionbeing well known and unnecessary to be particularly specified, thecompowith opposite shoulders 18 so sition, of course, varying with thetemperature at which it is to melt and thereby disconnect-the keeper 8.Instead of using a separate fusible key, the body portion and keeper maybe soldered together with fusible solder of proper melting point, theparts bing first galvanized to protect against rust, and also to causethe solder to hold. The dove tailed connecting piece 17 is formed bypouring the metal into the dove tailed space formed when the keeper 8 isproperly assembled with the body portion 5 and when cool locks thekeeper firmly to the body portion and prevents displacement untilmelted.

In order to relieve the fusible connecting piece 17 of the strain due tothe latching of the door, the body portion 5 is provided that latchingstrains will be taken up by the body portion independently of thefusible connecting piece 17. Thereby, it will be seen that the keeperor. holding piece 8 is firmly attached to the body portion againstordinary strains, and yet when the connecting piece 17 melts noobstruction will be offered to operation of the door, switch, skylight,or other device, being controlled. I

A particular advantage of the invention forfire protection purposesresides in the location of the fusible connection piece in the directpath of the heat or flames as will be seen in Fig. 1, so that a promptoperation is more certain to occur than with a chain for example, whichwould in many instances have to be placed behind the door and therebyshield it from a direct heat.

It will be seen that the invention is susceptible of variousmodifications in the shape and arrangement of parts, the location of thefusible connecting piece and the i be controlled by the same device,without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I declare that what I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent, is s' 1. A temperature releasedlatch comprising a body portion, a projecting holding portion having abeveled edge alined therewith, said portions having longitudinalinterlockin engagement, a transverse fusible key holding said portionstogether, said holding portion engaging said body portion to transmitlatching strain independently of said fusible key.

2. The combination with a support, of a pivoted latch comprising a bodyportion, a beveled holding ortion at one end, said holding portion eingengaged with said body portion to prevent movement toward said support,fusible means attaching said portions together, and means limiting thepivotal movement of said latch relatively to said support.

3. A temperature released latch for a'movable member, comprising a bodyportion, a holding portion, said holding portion being constructed topermit the movable member to ride thereon when moved in one direction,and a fusible key for connecting said holding portion to said bodyportion, said body portion being constructed to prevent independently ofsaid fusible key the displace- .ment of said holding portion in said onedirection.

4. A temperature released latch comprising a bodyportion, a holdingportion attached to one face thereof and interlocking therewith toresist transverse strains, and a fusible key passing transverselythrough said interlocking portions to normally secure said portionstogether.

In testimony whereof I'aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

EDIVARD F. SCHNUCK. Witnesses:

JOSEPH L. Korr, G. N. KERR.

